MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis volleyball team opened Conference USA play on Friday night against Rice University in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The Tigers started fast, but the Owls used a timeout to thwart Memphis' momentum. Rice then went on to take the first set 25-18 before finishing off the 3-0 sweep with 25-20 and 25-15 wins in the second and third sets.
After Rice (9-7, 2-0 CUSA) scored the first point of the match, Memphis scored seven of the next nine points. Marija Jovanovic started the run with one of her nine kills in the match and Maja Kostic ended the run with back-to-back aces to put the Tigers up 7-3. Lauren Hawkins registered a kill, before Katie Meyer and Jaden Louie teamed up for a block to put Memphis up 11-6 and force a Rice timeout.
The set changed after that break as Rice scored the first four points out of the timeout, cutting their deficit to just one before Altrese Hawkins got the Tigers back on the board with a kill. However, the Owls tied the set at 13 and took a 14-13 lead, forcing a Memphis timeout. Rice scored four straight points to go up 17-13. The Owl lead swelled to six points before Rice took the set 25-18.
The Rice offense that hit .355 in the first set, kept rolling in the second set as the accounted for 14 kills against three errors on 34 attempts in the second set. The Owls jumped out to an 8-4 lead, forcing a Tiger timeout. Memphis used their second timeout trailing 13-5, but it didn't slow down the Owls. Rice extended their lead to eight points before the Tigers tried to comeback. Trailing 24-16, Kostic served four straight points behind kills from Viktorija Teivane and Jaden Louie around an ace. However, Rice took the set 25-20 behind an attack percentage of .324 in the set.
Rice took a quick 4-1 lead in the third set, only to see Memphis comeback and tie the score at five. Teivane recorded a kill, followed by a block by Altrese Hawkins and Lauren Hawkins block. Altrese Hawkins evened the score with one of her nine kills in the match. However, Rice scored the next two points and led 7-6 before going on a 6-0 to take command of the set. The Owl lead grew to 21-12 before Rice took the set 25-15 and the match 3-0.
Jovanovic and Altrese Hawkins led the team with nine kills apiece. Jaden Louie recorded 23 assists while Aleksandra Petronijevic recorded a match-high 11 digs.
Memphis will try and rebound on Sunday when they host Houston at 1:00 p.m., at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse.